noisy water return to sump !?

[tankhead]

Hello,

I've set up an aquarium and have basically notched the top of the glass for the return pipe instead of having it drilled. The idea works fine, but it is very niosy. Any ideas on how I could quiet down the water leaving the upper show tank and dropping down to the tank below? It sounds very noisy as the air and water rush down the pipe!

thanks for the suggestions :-)

[ironhuff]

If you are talking about the plumbing to your sump (tank below), you can try having the water enter your sump below the water line. Can you provide a little more info on how your siphon is set up?

[tankhead]

Thanks for the reply :-)

the water is making noise as it is leaving the upper tank, much like a drain in the bottom of a sink. A top small edge of the glass has been notched down to accomodate a 1" elbow and pipe to the tank below. Should I create a trap much like in a sink drain to cut down the noise of the water falling out of the top tank and down the pipe? This trap would lead to the exit pipe?

[ironhuff]

Ah... yes, if you add a small piece of tubing 1/4" or less to the entrance of your pipe and have it go down the back of your tank out of sight... it should do the trick. The same thing is built into a Siphon Overflow/Prefilter (http://www.aquariumpros.com/p-CPRCS202,FLpn.html). I know it is hard to see from the picture, but there is a little rigid piece of tube inserted into the middle of the white filter. It also comes with a little washer so you can adjust the height. This allows air to enter the tube at the right moment so you don't get the sucking sound. Hope that helps.

[tjigger]

Ah... yes, if you add a small piece of tubing 1/4" or less to the entrance of your pipe and have it go down the back of your tank out of sight... it should do the trick. The same thing is built into a Siphon Overflow/Prefilter (http://www.aquariumpros.com/p-CPRCS202,FLpn.html). I know it is hard to see from the picture, but there is a little rigid piece of tube inserted into the middle of the white filter. It also comes with a little washer so you can adjust the height. This allows air to enter the tube at the right moment so you don't get the sucking sound. Hope that helps.

I have a piece of airline tubing inside my 2.5in pvc. and It works great.
What ironhuff said works.

[tankhead]

Thanks - the airline tubing works great!

Unfortunately, I opened the in-line shutoff valve (which supplies water to the tank above) all the way. When I let the pump work at full speed unhindered by the valve, the overflow pipe can't keep up - and the water keeps slowly rising and rising. So.. I'll have to install a larger pipe for the drain to the sump below. I have a 1/2" pipe going up to the top display tank, and a 1" drain, which I think I'll beef up to two.

Thanks again for the help